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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26900512">The Girl Next Door</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smilerlib/pseuds/Smilerlib'>Smilerlib</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Henry Cavill - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:47:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,316</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26900512</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smilerlib/pseuds/Smilerlib</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Henry Cavill/Reader, Henry Cavill/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Girl Next Door</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t yet seven o’clock and my morning was not going well. Taking a deep breath, I surveyed the chaos in front of me.</p><p>For starters, the removal men had woken my new neighbours. Scowling, sleepy faces peered from open windows to see what the hell was going on. I bowed my head, trying and failing to hide. They had clocked me and I would need to do a lot of apologising. Sheepishly, I pulled my hood up further until only my fringe peeked out. I’d deal with that later.</p><p>The men, who I’d nicknamed Little and Large, struggled to get my new sofa through the front door. Huffing and puffing, with an added side of profanities, it was no wonder the street had been rudely awoken from their slumber. The larger, older one stopped every now and then to scratch his head, as if the solution to the problem was just there at top of the shiny globe. While he ummed and ahhed, the younger, skinnier of the pair pulled up his baggy jeans, wiping his snotty nose on the grubby denim. He looked like he hadn’t had a bath for weeks. I sighed and mumbled few profanities myself. Maybe if I swore enough it would act like a spell and solve the problem.</p><p>All too ready to admit defeat, they threatened to leave the sofa on the rain sodden street; the only solution was a bribe of a couple of crisp twenty pound notes. That was definitely not in my moving budget. In the end, they somehow wedged the sofa through the door, nearly taking the frame off in the process. But the ordeal was not over. The dented plaster in the living room would be a permanent reminder of their incompetence. Of course they insisted they were only doing their job, <em>love.</em> I could see them rolling their eyes and snickering at me when they thought I wasn’t looking.</p><p>It will be fine, I kept repeating to myself like a prayer. But the whole morning had been a nightmare. Late for another job, the removal men left my boxes like a broken kingdom on the cobbled road outside. I desperately needed a caffeine hit before I attempted to hump everything inside but I couldn’t risk leaving my stuff unattended. Sitting on one of the larger boxes, I scanned my phone, wondering if there was anyone I could call, until I remembered I hadn’t been in London long enough to make any friends. Tears began to threaten and I bit my lip hard to hold them back. I did <em>not </em>want to break down in the middle of the street in front of my new neighbours.</p><p>Before I could wallow any further, I heard heavy footsteps approaching and caught a flicker of movement at my side. Gazing up, a tall, dark haired man consumed my view so that day seemed to turn into night. A large black and white dog panted at his side.</p><p>‘You look like you could use a little help,’ he said, his voice deep yet soft and calming.</p><p>Something about him was familiar. Damp curls twisted around his ears and sweat dotted his blue t-shirt. A broad grin lit up his face; I couldn’t take my eyes off him. In that instant a brain fog overtook me and I forgot what I was going to say. He ran a large hand through his hair as he waited for me to answer. He was still smiling patiently as I found the words.</p><p>‘Er, yes. Thanks.’ I stuttered, standing up.</p><p>‘Sit, Kal,’ he instructed his dog as he followed me. The dog obeyed, wagging its tail happily.</p><p>In one swift, easy move the stranger lifted the first box. He followed me into the house as if he was carrying a box of feathers, not my extensive library of books. The only indication of the effort it took was the bulge of his biceps. I tried not to stare as he went back and forth with the boxes. How could a man look that good? As a distraction I busied myself emptying the contents of one of the small boxes, rescuing cutlery, kettle and mugs. All I needed now was coffee, if only I could remember where I’d put my stash.</p><p>In a few minutes he had deposited all the boxes into the empty space on the ground floor.</p><p>'All done,’ he said, his face flushed a little now from the exertion. Even as the heat spread to his cheeks, his blue eyes shone brightly, locking on to me like a laser. A butterfly somersaulted in my stomach as I caught his gaze.</p><p>‘Thanks. I don’t know what I would have done without you,’ I said.</p><p>He watched me unpack, his body filling the door way. He crossed his arms, leaning against the frame. He looked deep in thought, and I wondered why he hadn’t just left. Suddenly self conscious, I was aware of my messy hair hastily tied up in a bun, my faded old uni t-shirt and lack of make up. This guy was too gorgeous, even in his sweaty, post exercise state.</p><p>‘Any time,’ he said with a wink.</p><p>‘Thanks, er..? Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.’</p><p>In a couple of quick strides, he crossed the room to me.</p><p>‘Henry - Henry Cavill. Your neighbour.’</p><p>My mouth fell open a mile wide in astonishment as it dawned on me who was in my kitchen. No? It couldn’t be, could it? <em>Superman</em> was my new neighbour? I wasn’t sure how I hadn’t recognised him sooner, because the evidence was there. The spirals of dark hair falling across his forehead, the piercing blue eyes, perfect teeth and body. It wasn’t everyday I saw such a hulk of a man, at least not in real life. The stress of my situation had blinded me to what was right in front of me. Now, plain embarrassed, I wanted the earth to swallow me up. At least he seemed ok with it, a shy smile crinkling his eyes. He extended his hand, his large palm enveloping my small fingers.</p><p>‘I’m Y/F/N, Y/L/N.’ I managed to blurt out, my tongue thick with nerves. My cheeks burned as we held the handshake for a few moments longer than was polite.</p><p>‘Nice to meet you. Y/N,’ he smiled, still holding my hand.</p><p>His grip tightened, but it was warm and comforting, not a threat. My heart raced, flipping at the strength and gentleness in his touch. I could get used to this, I mused. That thought hovered in my head for a moment, buzzing like a fly in my brain. But that was just a dream, wasn’t it? I knew I couldn’t be his type, I was just the girl next door. With that thought, I let go reluctantly. Now he looked wounded, the smile slowly uncurling from his full lips.</p><p>'Anyway, if you need any help, y’know with changing a lightbulb, a cup of sugar or whatever I’m just next door,’ he said, a little more glumly than before.</p><p>'I will, thanks,’ I said hopefully.</p><p>I walked out with him, checking that I hadn’t left anything in the street. I felt small and goofy in his shadow, all awkward bony limbs next to this tree trunk of a man. Outside, Kal waited, bounding up to Henry as he left.</p><p>‘Well, I think the bear wants his breakfast,’ he laughed as Kal nudged his nose in Henry’s palm.</p><p>‘He’s not the only one,’ I chuckled, my stomach growling with hunger.</p><p>‘Soooooo, I’ll see you later then, neighbour,’ he smiled at me, hovering a little longer as if he did not want to go.</p><p>‘Yeah, later,’ I agreed.</p><p>As I watched him enter the house next door, I knew this was the one new neighbour I definitely wanted to see again sooner rather than later.</p>
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